Simple Simon, Poor Boy
by dovemaster
Summary: A lonely boy is encouraged by his mother to get a pet...but will that be the answer to his problems, or the cause of more serious ones?


1 Obviously, PSOH and none of the characters in PSOH belongs to me, although I do wish I could have my very own Count D...or at least the petshop itself. I'll even work there as a professional "dung-scooper", just to be near D and his fabulous self. Anyway, here is the beginning of the story. I do hope you enjoy.  
  
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4 Simple Simon, Poor Boy Written by: A.Thomas aka Dovemaster  
  
  
  
"Oof!" and with that, Simon "Louis" Hackard was as close as one could get to Mother Earth without shoveling into her.  
  
"Get up...Louise."  
  
The 14 year old, sandy haired , and now dirtied Simon spat back at his attacker, "Shut up, Paul! My name's Louis, not Louise."  
  
"Heh...could've fooled me...I mean, you're such a delicate boy. I think Louise suits you much better." replied the portly Paul.  
  
"This insult is coming from an 18 year old idiot who's still in junior high...just when do you plan on graduating? When I'm your age, perhaps?"  
  
Paul smirked and lifted his left boot. "Bad time for someone who's still on the ground to make such a brave comment." His steel-blue eyes gleamed like lasers as he drove his foot down, trying to drill a chasm into the lower boys' face.  
  
A whistle shrieked through the air. "MONROE, get over here NOW!!!" Louis was saved by Mr. Malke the gym teacher, a softie with a booming voice.  
  
The startled bully awkwardly placed his foot back on the ground, and glared at Louis. "Next time, but until then..."  
  
"NOW MONROE!!!"  
  
"O...ok sir." But before Paul turned to leave, he whispered, "Don't get too comfy, I'll be back before you know it...Louise," and walked away grinning.  
  
Safe for now, Louis gathered his limbs, and got back on his feet, which tingled after having been on the floor for so long. A quick survey of his surroundings showed Louis that he wasn't the only one around. In fact, most of his classmates were at him. Some pointed at Louis as they were cracking jokes to one another. Embarrassed, Louis, dusting himself off, walked slowly away from his school towards his apartment, just 4 blocks away.  
  
"Louis, I'm so glad you're home! How was school today, make any new friends?"  
  
"New friends? I don't even have old friends Mom, how can you expect me to get new ones?" an extremely exhausted and fed-up Louis replied.  
  
"Oh honey, everything will be just fine soon. Why, I remember when I was your age..."  
  
'Why does Mom always do this? She gives me this lecture at least twice a week, I've practically got it all memorized. The cheerleaders picked on her.'  
  
"...the cheerleaders picked on me everyday..."  
  
'I love my mother dearly, but I wish Dad was around.'  
  
"...so I tried to make friends with one of them, Ellen I think her name was..."  
  
'Why did he abandon us? Abandon me? Maybe I wouldn't be such a wimp if he had been here to teach me. I just want Paul to leave me alone. I'll get him back one day...somehow.'  
  
"...we had so much fun since that day..."  
  
'All I want is someone to talk to, other than Mom.'  
  
"...I know, why don't you get a pet? I had a dog named Princess, a Shih Tzu that..."  
  
"Huh, what was that Mom? I...didn't hear you. Sorry."  
  
"Oh Louis, always in your own world." An elegant, ladylike giggle escaped her. "I suggested that you get a pet to cheer you up. Give it a try. C'mon, I'll drive you to a shop in Chinatown Susan told me about. You remember Susan, don't you? When you were five years..."  
  
"Ok Mom, let's go to this petshop." Louis couldn't take standing through another one of her flashbacks. Reminiscing is fine, just not every five minutes. 'Maybe I can get an attack dog out of this, that'll show Paul.'  
  
At a police station not too far away, a rather young, blonde detective was arguing with his boss.  
  
"...But Captain, everyone who gets a pet from the Count dies! Don't you see anything wrong with that!?" the red-faced blonde shouted, eyes bulging.  
  
"Leon, calm down before you have a heart attack. I bought a cat for my mother from the Count a week ago...and she's still alive! Now go back to your desk, sit down, and do some real police work!!!"  
  
Leon tossed his arms into the air, and before heading to his desk, spoke, "Fine, but when your mother is 'mysteriously' decapitated, don't come crying to me about it!"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Very well Leon, I won't come crying to you, I'll go to Jill instead. Feel better now?" He really wanted this conversation to be over and done with.  
  
"ARGH! What kind of conspiracy is this!? Does everyone in this city know the Count?" Completely fed up, he yelled loudly enough so the entire station could hear, "This is nuts...WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?"  
  
"LEON THAT'S ENOUGH! Go get something to eat, and come back when you're ready to work, got it?"  
  
He mumbled, "Yes, Captain."  
  
The car stopped. "We're here honey. Since I can't park over here, why don't you go to the store and surprise me with your pet? I'll wait for you around the corner, ok?"  
  
"Ok Mom" answered Louis as he shut the car door.  
  
Louis gasped when he turned around, in awe of the sight before him.  
  
'What kind of a petshop is this? It looks so...out of place here.' Louis was right. The place resembled a mini-pagoda rather than a store. When compared to the concrete buildings surrounding it, the only words Louis could come up with were 'time warp'.  
  
He spoke to himself, "I won't get a pet by standing out here, I should go inside."  
  
The sight inside was even more breathtaking. 'This place is a bit dark and dimly lit, but yet it feels...comfortable.' He sniffed the air. 'What's that smell, it's not the animals, I'm certain of that.' Louis inhaled another whiff. 'Incense? Why would a petshop need incense? Come to think of it, I don't hear any animals...is this really a petshop, or something illegal?'  
  
At that moment, a young boy came bounding with joy up the many steps to the exit, his father lagging behind. 'I wish that was me with my father.' As the boy ran out of the store, a puppy in his arms, the father could be heard. "Thank you so much Count. You've been a really big help. If there's anything you need, just ask."  
  
A gentle voice from behind a slightly opened door answered back. "You are very welcome Mister Thompson, and I thank you for your offer. However, all I ask from you is to be happy with your new family member."  
  
The grateful father could be seen smiling and waving at the Count while walking up the stairs to catch up with his son, still excited over his new friend.  
  
'I guess I'm next. Here goes nothing', thought Louis as he continued walking down the steps, to the one known as the Count.  
  
  
  
***Thank you for reading this. It's not finished yet, hopefully the next part will be up sometime this week. This is the first fanfiction I've written, so I would really love it if you tell me what you think about it. Read it, review it, send me money, or baked goods...either way, I'll be very grateful. 


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